Ram&#243;n Calder&#243;n has his day in court

But it must admit to being a tad envious of the easy-peasy world of Spanish sporting journalism, where libel law is scoffed at and how to make stuff up without a shred of evidence is a much-admired attribute.

It is a very different business in the no-fun, nitty-picky UK.

For example, La Liga Loca could tell you the completely true and well-known story in Spain of how ******* was caught ******* ** ***** *** * car bonnet and ****** ******* by ****** ******** ***** ****.

But chances are some tea-spluttering lawyers will have removed most of the offending allegations, to avoid the risk of having the entire corporation bankrupted in biliseconds by a back-beeping dumper truck full of lawsuits.

Innocent until proven guilty is a completely alien concept for many sports dailies - especially when it comes to Marca and that moustache-twisting scoundrel, RamÃÂ³n CalderÃÂ³n.

To set the legal record straight at the earliest opportunity, ThursdayÃ¢ÂÂs edition of the paper covers the day spent in court by the former Real Madrid president and a number of others Ã¢ÂÂaccusedÃ¢ÂÂ as the Spanish law defines them.

The still very not-guilty group had been summoned by judge Santiago Torres, who is investigating whether a crime was committed during the vote-rigging incidents of Real MadridÃ¢ÂÂs AGM last December and, if so, who was responsible.

As it stands, no-one has been found guilty of any wrongdoing, if any wrongdoing took place. And that is the way that most of the straight-laced sporting press, even Sport in Barcelona, are reporting the incident.

The main exception is Marca whoÃ¢ÂÂs current editorial policy is Ã¢ÂÂCalderÃÂ³n bad! Florentino good!Ã¢ÂÂ

Indeed, it was a very happy edition for Marca overall as it also got to report on the story of sporting director Pedja Mijatovic leaving the club after mutual agreement with Real MadridÃ¢ÂÂs board.

As the media were given access to the courtroom for WednesdayÃ¢ÂÂs session, there is a great deal of reporting on the dayÃ¢ÂÂs events.

Who, me?

And while there is no dispute over the fact that people who werenÃ¢ÂÂt allowed to vote in DecemberÃ¢ÂÂs special members-only meeting did so, who instructed them and facilitated their entry is the main bone of contention.

Considering the penalty for those found guilty of any fraud could be a jail sentence of between six months and three years, no-one was ready to Ã¢ÂÂfess up on the day.

CalderÃÂ³n himself spent an hour and 20 minutes before the judge testifying that he had delegated the entire organisation of the AGM to the VP of the members area, Amador SuÃÂ¡rez, and two director generals, Miguel Angel Arroyo and Luis BÃÂ¡rcena, and had no involvement himself.

He also claimed that he had Ã¢ÂÂa minimal relationshipÃ¢ÂÂ with NanÃÂ­n, another Ã¢ÂÂaccusedÃ¢ÂÂ up before the court and someone he publicly thanked for helping him get elected in 2006 and handed a job looking after VIPs in 2007.

After CalderÃÂ³nÃ¢ÂÂs testimony his lawyer brother, Jorge CalderÃÂ³n, read a statement claiming that Ã¢ÂÂI donÃ¢ÂÂt think that a criminal act took place as we are talking about a sporting company.Ã¢ÂÂ

Luis BÃÂ¡rcena, who resigned over the incident soon after the allegations came to light back in January, also gave evidence but claimed that he was unaware of the presence of non-members in DecemberÃ¢ÂÂs session, report Marca.

The most fun to be had was hearing the testimony of five of the Ã¢ÂÂinfiltratorsÃ¢ÂÂ who were not entitled to be at the event, never mind vote in the session on matters such as the clubÃ¢ÂÂs accounts.

But four of the five say that they were there on the request of a certain Mariano RodrÃÂ­guez de Barutell, more commonly known as NanÃÂ­n.

Ã¢ÂÂI know NanÃÂ­n, he called us and asked us to come and support the president,Ã¢ÂÂ said Jorge Leal Hidalgo. Ã¢ÂÂIÃ¢ÂÂm a close friend of NanÃÂ­n and he called me up to come and support CalderÃÂ³n,Ã¢ÂÂ claimed Miguel LÃÂ³pez Gil.

Ã¢ÂÂI didnÃ¢ÂÂt help anyone to get in (to the assembly) nor sneak anyone in. I didnÃ¢ÂÂt know they were there,Ã¢ÂÂ said NanÃÂ­n in his testimony.

After the dayÃ¢ÂÂs exciting events, a Judge Dredd-channelling Marca have certainly made up their mind over who the guilty parties are - evidence or no evidence - with ThursdayÃ¢ÂÂs editorial calling for Madrid Ã¢ÂÂto turn the page and look to the future to win back the clubÃ¢ÂÂs majesty as soon as possible.Ã¢ÂÂ

But there was to be some bad news for the sports daily thatÃ¢ÂÂs always keen to boast about their sales figures - the loss of one reader.

Ã¢ÂÂI donÃ¢ÂÂt buy nor read this newspaper. I have no intention of ever reading it again in my life,Ã¢ÂÂ said Ramon CalderÃÂ³n before judge Torres.